The northern territory police magazine $4 c tat

BANGTAIL MUSTER DAY

By Tim Egan

One of the most famous carnivals in Australia these days is the Bangtail Muster held in Alice Springs. It is generally held on the first Monday in May, when the weather in the Centre is at its most superb. This year was no exception and crowds were gathering early at the starting and finishing areas for the best possible view.

The Muster was first held in 196o. The Police had a mounted display in one of the earliest parades, when several members were decked out in the uniform of the old South Australian Mounted Troopers. This year we were represented by Sgt. George Simpson, Constable Don Burgess and Constable John White, in present-day uniform. These three led the parade which started some quarter of a mile from the start of the town area proper. They were followed by a pilot car and 48 floats.

The Department of Works float was one of the leaders and kept up the high standard we have come to expect of them. They had two trucks labelled " PAST " and " PRESENT ". On the " PAST " truck they had the original steam-driven lighting plant from the Lake Nash station together with an old cart used for transporting water at the early day mining settlement of Arhunga. On the " PRESENT " truck they had the latest in portable lighting plants and bore pumps an excellent comparison.

The Apex float, which was topical, both International-situation-wise and James Bond-wise, had several down-at-heel, unkempt " soldiers " performing some sloppy drill in front of their armoured section — an old Army tyre-type tank which had been suitably doctored and bore the label " From Alice to Asia With Love ". This carried a pre-Cape Kennedy rocket which resembled a fire-breathing dragon more than a weapon of war. The cumbersome vehicle came to a halt right on the intersection where the writer was performing traffic duty. With a malicious gleam M. his eye, the Tank Commander revved the motor to its full extent at the same time as the Rocket Controller prepared to blast off, complete with smoke and flames and roars. The result was one still-earth-bound rocket and one badly begrimed Constable.

A section which unintentionally drew laughs (mainly from the organisers and those in the know) was the Papunya produce float. Entered by the Welfare Settlement it was intended to show off the talents of the natives as gentlemen-farmers. The truck was heavily laden with vegetables of all descriptions, a cow, sonic goats, and pigs with piglets. The only trouble was that well before the truck got into the procession the pigs and goats had made very short work of the green delicacies and were all snoring blissfully, out-of-view, on the floor of the truck. This left one large truck with one medium size cow in the back as the exhibit. Many heads were scratched in an attempt to interpret the meaning of it all.

Judging took place after all of the floats had completed the course, about one mile along Todd Street and around Anzac Oval, where they finally parked. The Police entry got a special commendation from the judges, but was not eligible for any prizes.

FINKE FLASH!

In the afternoon the annual May Day sports took place on Anzac Oval. A fairly comprehensive programme flowed smoothly through the afternoon until the event for which all the Police were waiting. Charlie Taylor,



Const. Don Burgess, B.E.M.

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